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Spaghetti and Gemba
Recently, I found myself thinking about my favorite restaurant. It is a family-run Italian place in one of the cities in which I used to live. What sets this eatery apart from other restaurants? Well, the food is fantastic, with homemade pastas, sauces, and soups. But another thing that comes to mind is that I don’t think I ever enjoyed a meal there without seeing the owner walking around the dining room. His standard practice is to greet each guest and see if they are enjoying their culinary experience.
In Lean thinking, gemba is defined as the place where work gets done or things happen. With that in mind, it would make sense to think of a dining area as gemba for a restauranteur. Without even realizing it, this restaurant owner does a gemba walk every day. By stopping and chatting with each group of diners, he is accomplishing the following:
Confirming Standard Work. He can quickly see with his own eyes whether his dining area is clean, how many people are waiting, whether guests have been served the appropriate food, and how his employees are interacting with customers and each other.
Understanding the Voice of the Customer. The owner has direct contact with his customer base. He has immediate feedback as to how satisfied they are with his product and service. He also can solicit ideas for new products and restaurant improvements. In this case, this is evidenced by the number of entrees listed on the menu that were inspired by friends and customers.
Encountering Problems and Issues Firsthand. Rather than receiving a daily or weekly report on the number of guests or amount of sales revenue, the owner has real-time access to what is happening in his business. Problems or concerns in the kitchen or dining room can be encountered and dealt with as they occur. He also has the opportunity to use these situations as teaching moments with his staff.
Now I am really hungry. I don’t think they deliver to Charlotte, though.
As you can see, you don’t have to work in a factory to visit your gemba. Do you go to gemba as often as my favorite restaurant owner?
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